Archibus Cloud / Foundations / Facility Services / Service Console

Managing Maintenance Requests

Once Archibus Workplace users request maintenance work, you will need to review the requests and process them through the system using the Service Console. In addition to requests made through Archibus Workplace, the Service Console will show work requests made with the Archibus Cloud modules for which you are the supervisor or the supervisor to the work team specified in the service level agreements (SLA) governing this request.

As shown above, requests for maintenance are identified with the prefix "Work", such as request number 11840 - Work-AIR QUALITY.

For background on maintenance service requests, see Understanding Requests for Maintenance Work.

Typical Workflow

The typical workflow for managing work in Archibus Foundations is:

1. An Archibus Workplace user requests maintenance work, such as housekeeping, electrical work, grounds work, plumbing, and so on.

2. For each work request, the system consults the service level agreements (SLA) for the SERVICE DESK-MAINTENANCE request type and appropriate Problem Type such as LEAK for the building containing the problem. For the user listed in Assigned To field of the SLA, the system displays this work request in the Requested section of the Service Console. For information, see Manage Service Providers and Notifications.

   • For example, suppose the database includes an SLA for building SRL that states that all SERVICE DESK-MAINTENANCE requests, regardless of Problem Type (Problem Type is blank) are routed to user AFM-FDN. When user AFM-FDN logs in and opens Service Console, they see the requests meeting these conditions in the Requested section of Service Console.
   • If user AFM-FDN were receiving too many requests to manage, you could create another SLA to include other managers. For example, you could create an SLA that specifies that all SERVICE DESK-MAINTENANCE requests of Problem Type LEAK in building SRL are routed to user AFM-CF. These requests will appear in the Service Console for Will Tram so that he can manage them.
   • Maintenance requests may need to be handled by external vendors, such as plumbing firms and electrical firms. A vendor can be specified in the Assigned to Vendor? field of the SLA. This vendor can optionally receive email notifications about requests governed by the SLA. Although a vendor is specified in the SLA, the person specified in the Assigned to Employee? field of the SLA is responsible for overseeing the work and managing it through the Service Console; the request appears in this person's Service Console. For information, see Manage Service Providers and Notifications.

   • If you work with the Archibus Cloud modules, it is important to understand that in Archibus Foundations craftspersons do not directly update the system with details about completed jobs, as is the case in the Archibus Maintenance cloud module and Maintenance mobile app. Instead, in Archibus Foundations, you associate a craftsperson with a work request in order to track labor costs of the job.

3. The manager reviews in Service Console the maintenance requests that have been routed to them, completing additional information as necessary.
   • The manager can specify the craftsperson who will execute the work. Note that specifying a craftsperson does not "assign" the work to a craftsperson so that the craftsperson is automatically notified by email or the work shows in the craftsperson's queue. Entering the craftsperson is for cost tracking purposes.
   • The manager can also contact an outside vendor to do the work.
4. While the work request is in Requested status, the manager can optionally:
   • assign the request to another service provider to manage

5. The manager approves or rejects the work request. The system generates an email to the requestor to let them know the status change.
6. For approved maintenance requests, the manager can optionally:
   • cancel the work
   • assign the work request to another service provider to manage
   • complete the costs (as estimates) and other information
   • specify the craftsperson who will execute the work (for cost tracking purposes).
7. The craftspersons go on site to fix the problem. The maintenance manager might want to print the Location of Maintenance Work report, restrict it to a particular craftspersons, and provide it to the craftsperson to use as a reference.
8. After finishing the work, the craftspersons report back to the manager. The manager can update the work request with any additional details encountered in the field, and can update the labor hours and costs with the actual values, as reported by the craftspersons.
9. The manager completes the work order.

Reject or approve requested work

When a Workplace user requests maintenance work, the system routes the work to the appropriate user, where it appears in the Requested section of the user's Service Console.

Typically, you will review the details, and then choose to approve or reject the work, using the buttons at the top of the Service Console. For moves you are approving, you may want to add more information, enter cost estimates, and make edits to the employee's request.

1. In the Space Console's Requested grouping, select a work request by clicking on its selection box in the left column. For details on selecting, see Select Service Requests to View and Process.
2. Click the Reject or Approve button in the upper left corner of the Service Console. Or, if working with just one work request, click the Actions drop-down menu in this row, and click Reject or Approve.
   • If you reject the request, the system prompts you to enter a comment explaining why you are rejecting the request. The system sets the status to Requested-Rejected and the Service Console no longer displays this request.
   • If you approve the request, the Service Console displays it in the Approved section and sets the status to Issued and In Process.
   • For either status, the system notifies the requestor.

Assign the work to another service provider

You might need to assign a work request to another service provider for monitoring. For example, you might have approved a request but you will be out of the office when the work is scheduled to occur and you want someone else to monitor it; in this case, you can reassign the request to another manager . This user can then monitor the request using Service Console.

Once you reassign work requests, they will not appear in your Service Console.

When assigning requests to another service provider, the exact button that the Service Console presents depends upon the status of the request. For requests in Requested status, the Service Console presents the Assign button. For requests in the Approved status, the Service Console presents the Reassign button.

1. Select one request or multiple requests of the same status by clicking on their selection boxes in the left column. See Select Service Requests to View and Process.
2. Click the Reassign or Assign button beneath the filter. Alternatively, if you have selected just one request, click the Actions drop-down menu in this row, and click Reassign or Assign.
   
3. In the resulting pop-up form, choose an employee for the Assigned To field by clicking on the ellipses button and selecting an employee from the list.
4. Enter a comment to document this change.

Cancel work, and optionally delete it

After work has been approved, if circumstances change and the work is no longer needed, you can cancel it.

Note: If the work has not yet been approved, and you find that it is no longer needed, you can reject the work request.

1. Select one work request or multiple work requests from the Approved section of the Service Console by clicking on their selection boxes in the left column. For details, see Select Service Requests to View and Process.
2. Click the Cancel button beneath the filter.
   • Alternatively, if you have selected just one request, click the Actions drop-down menu in this row, and click Cancel. You may wish to enter a comment before canceling this move request by first accessing the Comment command from the Actions drop-down menu.
     
3. The Service Console changes to the status to Cancelled and shows this work in the Cancelled section (if you have opted to display this section using the commands on the gear-shaped icon).
4. If you wish, you can delete the cancelled work requests from the system by selecting them in the Cancelled section of the Service Console and clicking the Delete button. The Service Console prompts you to confirm the deletion.

Review and edit work details

See Review and Edit Work Details

Complete work

Once the craftspersons execute the work and report back to you, you can mark the work as Completed. This is important for finalizing the costs of the work. Before updating the status to Completed, enter any changes that might have occurred in the field. For example, if extra costs were incurred, you can enter them.

1. Select one work request or multiple work requests from the Approved section of the Service Console by clicking on their selection boxes in the left column. For details, see Select Service Requests to View and Process.
2. If you have selected just one request, if you wish, you enter a comment using the Action drop-down menu, or by completing the Comments field .
3. Click the Complete button beneath the filter.
   • Alternatively, if you have selected just one request, click the Actions drop-down menu in this row, and click Complete.
     
4. The Service Console changes to the status to Closed and shows this move in the Completed section (if you have opted to display this section using the commands on the gear-shaped icon). Note that in Archibus Foundations, completing a work request automatically closes it; in the Archibus Maintenance cloud module, completing and closing a work request are separate actions.
5. The system notifies the requestor of the status change.